Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the western world entered a strange interlude in which we forgot about the realities of the great power politics. The real failure was not only to ignore the resurgence of two of the old great powers - China and Russia - but to enable their rise. US Administrations helped China's rapid growth, especially after the Beijing Government was allowed into the World Trade Organization. America's political establishment told itself a fairy story that China would liberalise. As for Russia, its return as a military power was enabled by the Europeans buying Russian natural gas and oil in a vain attempt to look green at home and turning a blind eye to Putin's increasingly despotic rule.

European leaders, including successive Irish Governments, told themselves a fairy story that Russia would liberalise. We had ample evidence that we were making a mistake. We now have farmers who cannot get their hands on fertiliser in this country. If they can get their hands on it, they are paying through the nose. We have rumours that Russian ships were heading to Ireland full of fertiliser only to steer off into France as they are not welcome in Ireland. Do we have European unity on this issue or is it a case that we will sort someone out behind the scenes and nobody will know where that ship ends up, or where the fuel will end up or where it comes from?

I commend the people of west Cork on the kindness they have shown to the people of Ukraine. I have first-hand experience of the situation. I helped bring a young boy who had leukemia, Leonaid, into this country. This very ill little boy came from Ukraine with his parents. I thank so many people, especially the people who have been so generous on his GoFundMe page, who have sent gifts and done so much, from the medical practice - my own doctors - in Schull to Crumlin's children's hospital where the child is at present. I thank people for the significant support they are getting. The family are so thankful. I thank also the people of Bantry. In the St. Patrick's Day parade, they had the Ukrainians at the front. Putting people at the front like that has helped a lot.

We talk a lot about what needs to be done. I was first out of the blocks here to say that we need to look at community centres. We need to look at local, maybe closed, schools and such facilities that can be used to help the Ukrainians to settle here for the time being, especially in rural communities. Rural communities are dying a death anyway and they can well cater for these people in these times.

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